Something Slow and Distant
by moonshadow2012
Summary: Nobody was expecting this - except for Felicity, because she'd known before they did. It happened too slowly for them to see it coming. Now Joe is worried that Barry's new girlfriend isn't giving him the affection he needs.


They didn't really understand, but that was because they didn't really know. For Joe, it was because he'd watched Barry express his love for Iris in shy, almost-platonic ways like holding her hand or hugging her when she was sad. And Iris, who had been the recipient of those touches, was just as confused as to why her adorable, touchy-feely best friend was with someone who believed in such things as "professional distance."

Cisco was still reeling from the revelation that his friends were dating to form much of a coherent opinion, even though they'd been exclusive for almost two months now. Caitlin, for her part, didn't blame them. She was still a little surprised that Barry seemed so happy in the situation they were in. After all, she wasn't the warmest person ever. In fact, Barry and Felicity seemed to be the only ones who thought the relationship made complete sense.

It had started slowly and progressed unconsciously. They got closer and closer, but no one, not even the two of them, seemed to notice the change. If they both dropped out of the dating game at around the same time, preferring to spend their nights trading stories and the pizza bills, it wasn't enough to set off anyone's alarm. In fact, it took both of them a few minutes to realize that kissing goodnight outside her apartment wasn't something people did when they were just friends.

Caitlin still remembered walking inside and closing the door behind her, only to jump as someone began to pound on the other side. She'd opened it to reveal Barry's priceless look of shock.

"Cait, did we just kiss?" He'd asked in a rush.

"Oh," She'd blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I guess we did."

They hadn't planned to tell everyone at once. It was more of an if-it-comes-up-in-conversation thing until it actually _had_ come up in conversation. Well, in a way. Team Arrow had been in Central City at Barry's request to help out with the capture of a particularly slimy meta. The Star City vigilantes were already in position, Barry had leaned over to give Caitlin a quick just-in-case peck on the lips before he joined them. They almost had to abort the mission over Cisco's resulting flip out.

Even after the dust had settled, the teams were still trying to come to terms with fun-loving, puppy-like Barry being in a relationship with quiet, professional Caitlin. To Oliver, it was less strange due to the differences in his and Felicity's demeanors, but he still wasn't a fan of not seeing things coming. Felicity, of course, had known before they did.

"Don't you get tired of her keeping you at a distance?" A concerned Iris would ask her best friend.

Barry would just laugh. He would laugh at all of them, because none of them had a clue.

Sure, Caitlin was professional and distant in public – she was shy, and she took her work very seriously. Besides, when she was acting as the Flash's doctor and partner, completely immersing herself in the projects was her way of showing her love for the man behind the mask. Barry knew that, so he was okay with keeping the physical touches to a minimum and restricting himself to quick kisses on his girlfriend's cheeks and forehead – her lips, if the mission was particularly dangerous. And his respect for her feelings made Caitlin love him even more.

What no one knew was that at home, Caitlin was different. As soon as they stepped inside their doorway, she would grab Barry's hand and drag him around with her. They only had one armchair because she liked to sit on his lap while they watched TV, listening to his heart beat just a little faster than normal. And Barry had to set the alarm clock to go off way earlier than they needed because he would try to get up and make breakfast but Caitlin would pull him back in bed and snuggle into his chest and he couldn't tell her no.

Caitlin was affectionate, but she was delicate. She wasn't breakable, but if pushed she would close herself off from the world like she did after Ronnie's first death. But Barry – sweet, patient, shy, Barry – had coaxed her out of her locked heart and into the world again. And she'd become crazy about someone else.

Some people would be surprised at how slow the relationship progressed, seeing as half of the couple was the Flash, but those people wouldn't know Barry very well. Yes, he liked instantaneous gratification as well as the next guy, but he wasn't afraid to wait for something that mattered. He'd learned over the years that anything worthwhile is worth waiting for. And for Caitlin, he would take things as slowly as necessary.

Because he was scarred, too, under all those goofy grins and the perpetual bouncing back. Letting someone in gets harder after every rejection and disappointment, and he'd seen many. So, even though he could move through time like it was a river, what he needed was something that couldn't be rushed. He needed something that was difficult and effortless at the same time. Some _one_ who would take the time to heal him, even when it seemed impossible. Someone new to be crazy for.


End file.
